A bob, an Eton crop, and a “V” at the nape of the neck...
A wise person on Twitter.com once said that it takes about 5 years for the decade’s fashion to really set in and as we get closer and closer to the mid-2020s “the look” of our times has begun to solidify. Whether it’s skinny brows, dark lipstick, or shiny purses, one thing is clear—the similarities between the 2020s and 1920s are pretty hard to ignore. Especially, with this new trend spotted on everyone from Alexa Demie to Emma Chamberlain - short hair.
Now, before you let out a disappointed sigh and close this page, let me just say that I get it. I have had my fair share of bad haircuts and wouldn’t really want to trade in my annoyingly long, haunted-doll-esque hair for anything but am I totally free of temptation? No. Especially, when the trend is historic.
The 1920s short hair trend, also known as the "flapper" hairstyle, was popularized by women who wanted to break free from traditional gender roles and express their independence (likely inspired by all those ads filling the newspapers of gorgeous short-haired girls looking all happy with a cigarette in hand).
One of the most popular flapper hairstyles was called the Eton crop, inspired by the hairstyle of the Eton schoolboys–longish in the front, super short in the back. It’s the look that we now most often associate with the 1920s in part due to the abundance of this hairstyle in the media, think Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby (2013).
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. Picture
Another iconic flapper hairstyle was the shingle bob, popularized by the likes of Jazz Age actress and dancer, Louis Brooks. According to Hairfinder.com, “The "shingle bob" referred to a bob haircut that featured a bob cut to the occipital bone in the back and tapered below this point to form a "V" at the nape of the neck.” This chic cut can still be spotted on some of the most fashionable people of today:
Speaking of hairstyles still popular today, the bob, Anna Wintour’s signature hairstyle, also has its roots in the 1920s. It was considered a jarring rejection of old ideas, a symbolic shedding of Victorian morals and ideals. Seen with both straight & curly, with fringe and without, you can see the different variations of this cut on silent film star, Clara Bow.
Speaking of hairstyles still popular today, the bob, Anna Wintour’s signature hairstyle, also has its roots in the 1920s. It was considered a jarring rejection of old ideas, a symbolic shedding of Victorian morals and ideals. Seen with both straight & curly, with fringe and without, you can see the different variations of this cut on silent film star, Clara Bow.
What about modern trends though? Well, we would argue that the trend seems to be leaning towards a bob cut kind of Spring but we do love Halsey’s pixie cut, it’s very The Rules of Attraction. So, get inspired by the past and take our new quiz to find out which of the modern short hairstyles you should get (or at least fantasize about getting)!
